Blueprint for Leadership - How to Be a Better Leader

Here is a description of what people want in a leader. See how do you compare?

If you were to build a house, you would begin with a blueprint. This blueprint proves useful because it contains more than directions on how to build a house. It also describes the finished house.

So, what does this have to do with leadership?

Curious about it,  I asked an audience of leaders to tell me the characteristics of an ideal leader. I then, later asked the same questions to a random group of employees and compiled the answers and here is what I got (surprisingly similar in order between both groups):

A good listener

Enthusiastic/ Passionate / Charismatic

Shows appreciation

Visionary

Role model/ Leads by example

Trusting/ Credible/ High Integrity

Organized

Knowledgeable

Persuasive

Team building/ Empower others/ Understands followers

Clarity of purpose

Problem solver

Attitude of service

Patience

Consistent

Adapts to change.

From this poll I was able to gain some useful insights.

Notice what the list contains. Most of these characteristics relate to the human side of leadership. That's interesting because I often hear people minimize this side of leadership with terms like "soft" or "touchy feely." Actually, applying these characteristics requires more strength than not.

Now take a look at what the list excludes. Sometimes the words not spoken are louder than the words used. Absent from this list are characteristics such as stern, mean, serious, short tempered, vindictive, tough, angry, harsh, punitive, controlling, violent, or ruthless. And that's interesting because many popular representations of leadership emphasize at least one of these "hard" characteristics. In fact, these characteristics are the refuge of those who lack the strength (or the skills) to apply the human side of leadership.

How about you? How would you rate yourself as a leader compared to the list of positive characteristics listed above? If you were to survey the people around you (especially those whom you lead), how would they describe your leadership? Would they list characteristics from the "soft" list or from the "hard" list? Could you become more effective by improving upon any of the "soft" characteristics? And how about the other leaders in your organization? Do they truly maximize human potential?

People want leaders who treat them with genuine compassion, courtesy, and respect. They want leaders who help them become more successful. They want leaders who inspire them with a vision for a better world and show them how to get there or create it, not one who constantly threaten them with termination.

 

 

Click Here To Take Your Leadership Forward by teaching others how to be successful leaders.